Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan[b] also came among them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” 8 And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” 9 Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? 10 Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” 12 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.  Job 1:6-12

A. The Conflict Described

1. Its location

a. Dialogued in the heavenly realm: Job 1:6, Job 2:1, Zechariah 3:1, Rev. 12:10

b. Established in the Garden of Eden: Genesis 3:14-15

c. Occurring in the spiritual realm with physical ramifications: 2 Cor. 4:16-18, Eph. 6:10-12, Job 1:7, 1 Peter 5:8

2. Its participants

a. God: His sovereign activities

– God’s initiative in all things: Job 1:6-8, 12; Job 2:2-3, 6

– God’s control of all things: Job 1:12, Job 2:6

– God’s testing of His people: Job 1:8, Job 2:3

b. Satan’s malicious nature and tactics

– His plans – Destruction: Ephesians 6:11

– His target – The Mind: 2 Cor. 2:11, 2 Cor. 3:14, 2 Cor. 4:4

– His Tactics.

1. Forgetting his existence

2. Doubting of God’s Word

3. Tempting toward a loveless, unforgiving spirit

4. Hindering of spiritual growth

5. Accusing us before God

c. Job as the object for Satan’s hatred and God’s glory